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Today's News

The news was not good for the students of Levy County, Florida the final week in March, 2009. This marked a week when beloved and well respected veteran teachers received pink slips after lifetimes of commitment to a profession that has now not only betrayed these teachers but the students they should be teaching.

Historic 2nd Street will transform this weekend into an open air art gallery as the Chamber of Commerce presents the 45th annual Old Florida Celebration of the Arts. Artists and craftsman will line the roadside in booths from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday to show off their paintings, jewelry, sculptures, photography, and other artwork. Over $10,000 will be awarded and their ribbons will be on display Sunday.

Levy County citizens concerned about the environment joined residents of Alachua and Marion counties Mar 30 in Micanopy to strategize a response to the proposed state budget which reduces Florida Forever funding from the traditional amount of $12.4 million – leveraged to secure $300 million annually for land preservation – to $0 in the next fiscal year.

The Florida Forever program focuses on purchasing land and land use rights to conserve and permanently protect land resources.

The plan calls for a sidewalk along C Street between 1st and 2nd Streets that will act as a connection to the other sidewalks in the city. “It’s the most logical place for a connector,” said CRA Interim Director Greg Lang.

What began as a prescribed burn last Thursday morning in the Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve quickly became a wildfire when unpredictable weather conditions caused fire specialists to lose control, said Senior Forestry Ranger Jerry Horton.

The 210-acre fire was 90 percent contained as of Tuesday night, according to Jeff DiMaggio, Florida DEP Fire Management Officer. “There are just a few hot spots left,” he said. Crews expect to have it contained by the end of the week, he said. They will continue to monitor it for the next couple of weeks.

Bad news for those in Levy County who were counting on construction of a $17 billion nuclear plant near Inglis: the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has put a kink in construction plans and delayed the start by 20 months.

The controversial issue of animal control is expected to be one of the topics discussed at length during the next City Commission meeting May 19 at 6 p.m. The May 5 meeting has been canceled, according to Mayor Heath Davis.

The current ordinance is outdated and in need of revision, said Chief of Police Virgil Sandlin.